Annually, the Tennessee Alliance of Support Coordinators (TASC) recognizes a Support Coordinator in each grand region of the state (East, Middle and West) who demonstrates excellence in the practice of independent support coordination (ISC) services for persons with intellectual disabilities enrolled in the state’s HCBS Medicaid waiver programs. This award is established as a legacy in the memory of the late Linda Maurer, former Executive Director of Neighborhood Network, Inc.

Linda was a well-respected and admired leader among her ISC colleagues. For 13 years, Linda was instrumental in many of the important initiatives undertaken to improve and enhance ISC services for persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in Tennessee. She served in various leadership roles within TASC for many years. TASC is a stronger and more viable association as a result of Linda's contributions and leadership.

To nominate an ISC for the Linda Maurer Award, please follow this link: http://mytasc.org/The_Linda_Maurer_Award.html . The deadline for the nominations is August 31st.

After 12 years with The Arc Davidson County and Greater Nashville, Summer Grooms, Senior ISC Supervisor, has said good-bye. Yesterday was her last day with us and today starts a new chapter in her life as she pursues a nursing degree . She has been accepted into the Accelerated BSN program at East Tennessee State University and hopes to blend her experiences from the last 12 years with nursing education / experience to become a nurse practitioner, focusing on medical care for people with intellectual disabilities. We will miss her terribly but are so happy that she is pursuing her dream!

We congratulate Shannon Arrington on her promotion to Senior ISC Supervisor and Anna Flatt, on her promotion from ISC to ISC Supervisor. We will continue to work diligently to provide the level of quality support you have come to expect from us and are excited to embark on new adventures together.

Welcome to our Independent Support Coordination (ISC) blog! The ISC Management team is comprised of Kristi Lane, Summer Grooms and Shannon Arrington. Twelve Independent Support Coordinators (ISCs) provide support to 360 people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) across 20 Middle Tennessee Counties. ISCs are responsible for coordinating services received through the Department of Intellectual Disabilities and advocating for people to live self- determined, meaningful lives in inclusive communities.

Kristi Lane has been at The Arc Davidson County for 16 years. She started as an ISC and was promoted to ISC Program Manager a few years later. In 2005 Kristi was promoted to Director of Support Coordination. Kristi has a BS in Psychology and over 20 years of experience working with people with I/DD, including providing direct support (in both residential and day services), job coaching, working as a house manager, and an agency case manager, in addition to her years of ISC experience.

Shannon Arrington has worked for The Arc Davidson County for a total of 10 years, beginning as an Independent Support Coordinator. She has worked in the field of I/DD for over 20 years, in both day, residential and employment programs. She has a Master’s Degree in Special Education and was previously a Special Education teacher in both Rutherford and Williamson Counties.

Summer Grooms has worked with The Arc Davidson County for the last 12 years. She is a family member of a person with disabilities and has professional experience as a Direct Support Professional, Program Coordinator, ISC, and Quality Assurance Coordinator. Her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and over 20 years of experience working and volunteering with people with I/DD have brought her to where she is today. Presently, she is the Senior ISC Supervisor, Incident Management Coordinator, and liaison for The Arc’s IT contractor and computer systems.

Summer, Shannon, and Kristi will be blogging here about program updates, policy changes, and other important news regarding the Support Coordination Program. You'll also get the occasional photo and announcement from some of our ISC program members. We hope you enjoy following along with us!